New Orleans Pelicans leaned on late execution and second-chance dominance to edge the Brooklyn Nets 116–113 on Wednesday night at Smoothie King Center.
Trey Murphy III led all scorers with 34 points and anchored a decisive fourth-quarter response as New Orleans secured just its second win in 13 games to improve to 10–33.
Zion Williamson added 25 points on 11-of-14 shooting, helping the hosts erase early deficits and stay within striking distance throughout a back-and-forth contest.
Saddiq Bey delivered the defining sequence in the final 1:04, drilling a tying three, converting an offensive rebound into a dunk, and sealing the outcome with two free throws with five seconds left.
Bey finished with 12 points, but his late contributions swung momentum after Brooklyn briefly regained control in the closing minutes.
New Orleans built its advantage on the glass, generating 33 second-chance points while collecting 18 offensive rebounds, nine of them from Yves Missi.
Yves Missi posted a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, providing interior stability during extended stretches when perimeter shots were not falling.
Brooklyn struck first behind hot perimeter shooting, with Egor Demin knocking down four of his first five three-point attempts as the visitors opened a 12-point lead.
Demin finished with 17 points and five three-pointers, including a late make that put the Nets ahead 110–107 with 1:28 remaining.
New Orleans trimmed the gap before halftime and closed within one at the break, trailing 55–54 after Williamson capped the half with a layup.
The teams entered the fourth quarter tied at 87, setting up another tight finish following several recent close games between the sides.
Brooklyn opened the final period with seven straight points, prompting a timeout from New Orleans head coach James Borrego as defensive issues resurfaced.
The Pelicans answered with a 15–4 run, sparked by Murphy’s nine points and an assist on Karlo Matkovic’s dunk, shifting control back to the home side.
Michael Porter Jr. led Brooklyn with 20 points and had a last-second heave after a loose-ball scramble, but the attempt missed at the buzzer.
Drake Powell scored 16 points, while Day’Ron Sharpe added 15 points and nine rebounds as the Nets fell for the eighth time in nine games.
The Nets host the Chicago Bulls on Friday, while New Orleans visits the Indiana Pacers as it looks to build on a rare late-game win.
